‘Finally an academic approach that prepares you for the real world’: simulations for human rights skills development in higher education

Abstract

Effectively addressing violations of human rights requires dealing with complex, multi-spatial problems involving actors at local, national and international levels. It also calls for a diverse range of inter-disciplinary skills. How can tertiary educators prepare students for such work? This study evaluates the coordinated implementation of human rights simulations at seven Australian universities. Based on quantitative and qualitative survey data from 252 students, we find they report that human rights simulation exercises develop their skills. In particular, students report that they feel better able to analyse and productively respond to human rights violations, and that they have a greater awareness of the inter-disciplinary skills required to do so. Overall, this study finds that simulations are a valid, scalable, classroom-based work integrated learning experience that can be adapted for students at undergraduate and postgraduate level, across a range of disciplines and in both face-to-face and online classes.

When nursing education becomes political: Norm‐critical perspectives in a campus‐based clinical learning environment

“…A distinctive feature of the first theme “To educate beyond nursing education” was that norm criticism was presented as a pedagogical tool to generate learning experiences for nursing students to develop social skills. Social skills, such as an understanding of social justice and health equality (Hitchcock et al, 2018; McGaughey et al, 2019) which have been in demand in nursing education for some time (Song & McCreary, 2020). The studied department integrated the notion of human vulnerability through norm‐critical artwork in the physical learning environment, and by combining it with nursing students reflecting on normality, the department intended to encourage nursing students to evolve social skills grounded in the idea of social justice and health equality.…”

“…However, whether social skills can be learned in skill laboratories or similar learning environments has been debated (Hitchcock et al, 2018). Nevertheless, some studies (McGaughey et al, 2019; Vandsburger et al, 2010) have underscored the usefulness of such learning environments in raising awareness among nursing students regarding equal care. Boutain (2020) claims that the nursing profession places a high value on social justice and that nurses can greatly improve health and social relationships in society by understanding the concept of social justice and how advocating for social justice can counteract health inequalities.…”